Nov. 17, 2012

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| By The Associated Press

Spurs 126, Nuggets 100

Manu Ginobili had 20 points and the San Antonio Spurs set a season high for points in a 126-100 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night.

DeJuan Blair added 19 points and Danny Green had 15 for San Antonio (8-2). Tony Parker and Tim Duncan each scored 14 points while playing 25 and 23 minutes, respectively.

Danilo Gallinari scored 15 and Kenneth Faried finished with 14 for Denver (4-6), which has lost three straight games for the second time this season.

The Spurs shot 54 percent from the field, including a 16-for-20 performance from 3-point range. San Antonio never trailed by less than 18 points in the second half.

With the outcome in little doubt, one of the few second-half highlights came when Tiago Splitter dunked over JaVale McGee with 7 minutes remaining. The dunk caused Duncan to leap out of his chair in celebration.

Duncan gave San Antonio its largest lead at 74-42 on a pair of free throws with 7:49 left in the third.

Stephen Jackson made his first start of the season for the Spurs, and Blair was in the starting lineup for the second time this season. They combined to score 12 straight points after Green opened the game with a dunk for a 14-9 lead.

Jackson finished with nine points. Blair also had eight rebounds and three assists.

Denver finished with 21 turnovers.

NOTES: Spurs F Kawhi Leonard, hampered by quadriceps tendinitis above his left knee, missed his first game of the season. He is expected to miss at least 10 days. Spurs G Gary Neal missed his second game after he cut his right index finger when he picked up his luggage. Neal sported a small bandage around the index finger. The Spurs wore their silver alternate jersey, which features their traditional Spur logo on the front. Its the first jersey in NBA history without any writing on the front of the jersey.